The number of individuals using mobility devices such as wheelchairs and walkers is growing at a steady rate as a result of changing age demographics in the population. Approximately 600,000 individuals in the United States use power wheelchairs for mobility purposes, including a large number with significant upper body extremity limitations. Many have diseases or conditions that require constant assistance from a caregiver. In addition, many elderly and individuals recovering from surgery or injuries have temporary or permanent mobility impairments that require them to spend a considerable amount of time in a recliner, bed, or wheelchair, resulting in a loss of independence. With the increasing incidence of disability as a person ages, and the general trend towards an increase in the average age of the population, the number of individuals requiring accessibility and/or mobility devices is expected to rise. In addition, there is a trend towards increased participation in community, school, and work activities by people with mobility impairments.
Robotic manipulator arms, generally focused on reaching, grasping, and performing tasks, have a number of disadvantages for the impaired individual. For example, these systems are typically very expensive and therefore cost prohibitive for many users. Additionally, these systems can be very large and obtrusive, have complex controls, and/or an extremely limited weight/load capacity. For example, the JACO™ arm system from Kinova, Inc. (Montreal, Quebec, Canada) has a maximum weight capacity of 1.5 kg (approximately 3.3 pounds) at mid-range and only 1.0 kg (approximately 2.2 pounds) at end range or full extension. The JACO™ arm is also limited in how long (duration of time) it can carry the load (from about one to about five minutes) depending on the load, and must “rest” between uses. In contrast, a typical laptop computer may weigh from about 4 pounds to over 8 pounds depending on its size and configuration, and it may need to be supported continuously for hours at a time. The cost, complexity, and load limitations of robotic manipulator arms make them unsuitable for many simple, common, everyday accessibility needs.
As a result of the rising demand for accessibility and/or mobility devices, there is an increased need for versatile mounting and positioning technology that permits individuals, particularly those with minimal strength and dexterity, to easily access and use personal devices such as speech devices or laptop computers. For individuals confined to a wheelchair, for example, there is often the need for mounting a tray or other flat surface or receiver to the wheelchair for holding cell phones, emergency call devices, computers, communication devices, remote controls, food, beverages, or other such items. Some individuals may use head controls, chin joysticks, and/or sip and puff systems to access and/or control their devices. The ease in access to these items often reduces the individual's reliance on their caregiver, providing them with greater independence. However, positioning of the devices can be critical, and in some cases, for example, may interfere with their ability to see where they are navigating their power wheelchair, forcing them to ask for help (which reduces their independence) or to drive with obscured vision.
Some existing positioning apparatuses lack the flexibility to be independently positioned or repositioned, and are typically designed for use with only a specific device. Some positioning apparatuses, for example, are designed to function in only a single or a few set positions, which may limit the use of the apparatus to only certain activities. For example, in many hospital and nursing home facilities where living space is often limited, the inability of the positioning apparatus to be set at different positions may prevent the unimpeded movement of a wheelchair through the living space, or may prevent a person from independently exiting a wheelchair or recliner with ease.
Additionally, the strength, dexterity, and range of motion requirements required to move or adjust many positioning apparatuses often limits their use to particular individuals. For individuals suffering from certain musculoskeletal disorders, for example, the strength required to adjust the device may be greater than the individuals' strength, preventing the adjustment of the device without the aid of a caregiver. In some designs, the mounting device may not be ergonomically suited for the individual. For those individuals requiring a wheelchair who rely upon an electronic speech generating device to communicate, for example, the inability to easily adjust or position the speech generating device may limit their ability to perform other essential functions, such as access food or drink, or sub-optimal device placement may cause the user increased fatigue over time, in some cases exacerbating the individual's condition. As such, there is an ongoing need for versatile positioning apparatuses to permit individuals to transport and reposition objects with minimal strength and dexterity.